Rolling door



Sept. 30, 1941. E. K. PILCHER ROLLING DOOR Filed Nov. l, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet' l Sept. 30, 1941. E. K P|| CHER 2,257,513

ROLLING DOO R Filed Nov. l, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheel 2 Patented Sept. 30, 1941 ROLLING DOOR Edward K. Pilcher, Detroit,` Mich., assignor to Bohn Aluminum & Brass Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November l, 1939, Serial No. 302,402

7 Claims. ,(l. 189--51) This invention relates tc a rolling door of the type in which a plurality of slats are hinged together and guided at their ends to provide a door capable of moving around a corner to cover an opening. The objects of this invention include the following:

The provision of slat members of an improved form in which the inner member of each joint has a channel opening toward the outer joint member to hold packing material which serves to seal the joint.

The provision of improved shoes for sup-porting the ends of the slats. These novel shoes engage at least one side wall of the track with a flexible surface that permits shifting of the center of pressure as the shoes ride around a curve in the track, and furnishes non-ratt1e support for the door.

The provision of improved means for mounting the shoes on the slats. This means permits lateral yielding of the slats and `insures smooth working of the door even if the track is considerably out of alinement.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

`While a preferred form of the invention is disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, various changes may be made in the structure withif) out departing from the spirit of the invention as herein set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of part of a rolling door incorporating the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of one of the slats of the rolling door.

Fig. 4 is a section taken o-n line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a supporting shoe as used in the structure shown in Figs. 1 t0 4.

Fig. 6 is a section of a modified form of slat.

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of modified shoes.

Referring to the drawings more particularly,

the rolling door is made up of a plurality `of slats I0, each formed from a piece of material of the cross-sectional shape illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be clear from this figure that the section includes a flat body part II which has extending rearwardly along one edge an inner joint member in the form of a tubular bead I2 having a bore I3 and a slot or channel I4 opening outwardly from the bore on the side of the bead away from the flat body. Extending rearwardly alongthe opposite edge of the bodyV II is an outer joint member in the form of a hook flange I5 which is partly tubular in shape and has an interior bore of a size toclosely Iengage around the tubular bead I2 of an adjacent slat. For centering the slats and aligning them with each other, one edge of the slat may carry a rib I6 which is adapted to engage in a similarly formed groove I'I in an adjacent edge of the next slat.

In the preferred method of manufacturing the slat member-s a length of strip having the shape illustrated in Fig. 3, and of any preferred size, is extruded of some suitable material, such as aluminum, bronze, nickel-silver, plastics, etc. Slats of the desired length are then cut from the strip of material, and they are assembled by sliding the hook ange of one slat over the tubular bead I2 of the adjacent slat.

Fig. 2 clearly shows that the main body of the bead I2 is spaced above the body of the slat a distance corresponding t0 the w-all thickness of l other when the door is being rolled around theV corner.

The provision 0f the slot or channel I4 permits the use of apacking material in bore I3 that can closely engage the inner Wall of the hook flange v I5 tomake a substantial air-tight joint between the slats. This packingmaterial, which is indicated at I8 in Fig. 2, may take the form of a flat felt strip pushed into the bore I3 and slot I4 either before'or after the slats are assembled together. This packing may, if desired, be impregnated with a lubricant suitable for reducing sliding friction of the slat joints.

When theA slats have moved around to 'a straight turn of the track where the flat bodies II lieon substantially the same plane, the taperedrib IS rmly engages in the groove I1 of the -adjacent slat, thereby positively aligning the slats and preventing any inward bending of one slat relative to the next. The fact that each slat has along each edge a relatively wide flat face which extends `at right yangles to the front face of the slat also helps in aligning the door.

While the presently preferred method of making the slat is by extrusion, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that they may be made by other methods, as by casting, and of other materials, such as iron or steel.

The two sides of the rolling door Yare supported ing cushion be'tween the shoe and the slat..

Y' of some other material.

and guided by track members I9, each of which is substantially U-shaped in cross-section and includes a bottom wall 20 and side Walls 2| and 22, in which ride shoes 23 pivoted on the ends of the slats. The form of shoe illustrated in Fig. includes a crescent shaped body having a curved wall 2'4 adapted to engage one side wall of the track I9. On the opposite side of the shoe a curved piece of flat spring stock, which is heldin place by body flanges 26, forms a flexible wall engaging the other side wall of the track. The end of the body that faces outwardly away from the slat member and engages the bottom wall 42li of the track has its central part cut away so as to leave two sliding surfaces 21,'A thus reducing the friction between the shoe and the track.

Each of the shoes is mounted on a slat by means of a pintle 28 of a form` clearly shown in Fig. 4. The inner end of this pintle extends slidably into the bore I3 of the inner joint member, and the outerend of the pintle projects into a socket 29 formed in the shoe. A collar 30 engages the inner part of the shoe body, and a spring 3! surrounding the pintle provides a yield- The shoe 23 is free to rotate on the pintle 28.

When the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the slats are yieldably centered by springs 3|, and this arrangement permits smooth and easy operation of the door even though` the frame is considerably out of true alignment. When the door is rolled around a corner as in Fig. 2, the flexible wall 25 of each shoe permits a shifting of the center of pressure, thus avoiding any binding tendency. The construction described also provides a full spring suspension that prevents noise and rattle.

'In order to cover the opening between the ends of the slats and the track I9, an ornamental molding 32 may be formed in one piece with the track I9 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 also shows one manner of mounting thetrack upon a frame part 33 of a building, freight car, or some similar structure.

It may in some cases be desired to form the body of the slats out of some non-extrudable material, such as wood, or some material not suitable for the joint members, such as glass. In such a case it is possible to extrude relatively narrow` strips carrying the joint members and to fasten these joint strip-s to a body part composed For example, Fig. 6 illustrates a construction in whch a joint strip 34carries the inner joint member consisting of the tubular bead I2', and the joint strip 35 carries the outer jointV member in the form of the hook flange I5. Vlilach of these joint strips -is formed along one edge with a groove which receives the strip of wood 36 forming the body of the slat. Another modification illustrated in this figure is the provision of a rubber sealing strip 31 which is inserted in a dovetailed groove along one edge of the slat, and is adapted to engage in a groove 38 formed in the adjacent edge of the next slat. Any other suitable material, such as glass, or a plastic, could be substituted for the wood strip 36 and could be secured t-o the joint strips by suitable fastening arrangements.

Alternate forms of iiexible shoes are illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8, the shoe illustrated in Fig. 8 is substantially like that of Fig. 5 except that it has a flexible spring strip 25 on both sides of the body, and hence has a flexible engagement with both side walls 2I and 22 of the track member. In the form of shoe illustrated in Fig. 7, a single piece of spring stock 39 is bent so Vas to have a substantially pretzel-shaped outline, and is snapped over a hub 49 projecting from the shoe. This shoe has flexible and resilient support against the side walls 2i and 22 of the track.

The arrangement for supporting and guiding the rolling door is claimed in co-pending application Serial No. 327,102, which is -a division of the present application.

The novel features described above cooperate to form a simple and eflcient rolling door which can be economically manufactured and which maintains its operating efficiency under adverse conditions.

I claim:

1. In a rolling door of the type in which a plurality of slats are hinged together, the front faces of the slats being ush with each other, each Slat having exterior and interior joint members which extend'outwardly from the rear face of the slat; the improvement in which theY interior joint member is a hollow cylindricalbead with a channel. opening away from the rear face of the slat along one edge thereof, and the 'exterior joint member is a hooked iiange which ex tends upwardly and outwardly from the other edge of the slat and which is shaped in a simple curve so as to have its entire inner surface in contact with Van interior joint member when the door is in straight position.

2. In a rolling door of the type vin which a plurality of slats formed by extrusion have exterior and interior joint members extending rearwardly by which the slats are hinged together; the improvement in which the interior joint members have channels opening rearwardly from the main body of the slats, packing material in the channels and engaging the exterior joint members, the channels being covered by the; exterior joint members inail positions of the s a s. Y

3. In a slat section, for use in rolling doors, vof the-type in which jointl members are formed on the edges of the slat section; vthe improvement in which a bead forming `the inner joint member projects rearwardly from one edge of the slat bodyand has a channel opening away from theslat body,aho'ok flange forming the outer joint member projects rearwardly from the other edge of the Slat body, the'hook aange havig an interior partly-cylindrical bore which is of a size to closely fit about the inner joint member,

and is of such an extent circumferentially as to cover the channel of the inner joint member in all positions of the rolling door.

4. In a slat section, for use in rolling doors, of the type in which joint members extend along the edges of a body part; the improvement in which a partly-cylindrical bead forming the inner joint member projects rearwardly from one edge of the body, the bead having .a cylindrical bore and having a slot opening from the bore on the sideaway from the slat body, a hook flange formingV the outer joint member projects rearwardly from the other edge of the slat body, the hook flange having an interior partly cylindrical bore which is of a size to closely fit about the inner joint member, and is of such an extent circumferentially as to permit rocking movement between two adjacent slats but to cover the slot of the inner joint member in all positions of the slat members.

5. In a slat section, for use in rolling doors, of

the type in which joint members extend along the edges of a body part; the improvement in which each slat has iiat edges disposed at right angles to the plane of the door, a partly-cylindrical bead forming the inner joint member projects rearwardly from one of the flat edges, and overlies the body, the bead having a cylindrical bore and having a slot opening from the bore at a point away from the slat body, a hook flange forming the outer joint member projects rearwardly from one of the fiat edges and extends away from the body, the hook flange having an interior partlycylindrical bore which is of a size to closely t about the inner joint member, and is of such an extent circumferentially as to permit rocking movement between two adjacent slats but to cover the slot of the inner joint member of an adjacent slat in all positions of the slats.

6. In a rolling door of the type in which a plurality of slats have exterior and interior joint members extending rearwardly by which the slats are hinged together, the improvement in Which; at least one slat comprises an edge strip carrying the interior joint member, an edge strip carrying the exterior joint member, and a piece of material different from, and connected to, the edge strips to form the body of the strip.

7. In a rolling door of the type in which a plurality of slats have exterior and interior joint members extending rearwardly by Which the slats are hinged together, the improvement in which at least one slat comprises a metal edge strip having a channel in the plane of the slat and carrying the interior joint member, a metal edge strip having a channel in the plane of the slat and carrying the exterior joint member, and .a piece of material different from the edge strips and having its edges secured in the channels of the edge strips to form the body of the strip.

EDWARD K. PILCHER. 

